The beautiful red-topped mushroom with the white spots, Fly Amanita, has begun to fruit on the Mendonoma Coast. Bob Schwein recently photographed a newly sprouted one being sampled by a Banana Slug.
Thanks to Bob for allowing me to share his photo with you here.
To see a beautiful holiday wreath made out of mature Fly Amanitas, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/12/20/a-beautiful-fly-amanita-wreath-created-by-carol-kozal/
Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. It is traditional to serve turkey on Thanksgiving. President Obama pardons a turkey this time of year and the turkey lives the rest of its life in luxury on a farm. Here on the Mendonoma Coast, we have wild Turkeys. There is some debate whether they are native or introduced. Either way, they are here and they add color to our surroundings. Siegfried Matull photographs them at his Sea Ranch home.
Below you will see a group of Tom Turkeys displaying. There has to be some lovely Peahens close by.
And here you will see a close up of a Tom Turkey.
Siegfried tells me this Tom Turkey was attacking him! Siegfried lived to photograph another day.
Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share his photos with you here. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
To see another photo of Siegfried's, this one showing a Turkey flying out of a hedgerow, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/03/01/wild-turkey-flying-out-of-a-hedgerow-and-photographed-by-siegfried-matull/
Bob Rutemoeller was walking on the Gualala Bluff Trail this past week when he saw two River Otters swimming in the river. They came up onto the banks of the river and gave Bob a chance to photograph them.
These creatures are comfortable in the water and on land. They can only thrive where the water is unpolluted. They eat fish, octopus, amphibians and even small mammals and birds. One was seen swimming under an unsuspecting Gull and grabbing it for a meal. Sometimes life on the Gualala River can be dangerous.
Thanks to Bob for allowing me to share his photo with you. Before this photo I did not know they groomed each other. I love learning new information about our wildlife. To see a River Otter and her pup, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/08/19/river-otters-seen-in-the-gualala-river/
Robert and Nancy Scarola came across this Buck recently. Robert said it was the most beautiful one he's ever seen. And he was tempted to try and kiss its nose! Reason prevailed and Robert wrote, "He just stood and watched us. We stood and contemplated the meaning of it all with him for a while."
To see a photo of a five point Buck, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2011/11/04/five-point-buck-photographed-by-drew-fagan/
Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share his magnificent Buck photo with you here.
When the storms come, they rip the Bull Kelp from its holdfasts in the ocean and toss much of it on the beach. It provides food and shelter for various critters that live on the beach. Patty Stornetta Woodruff recently photographed Kelp on the beach by the Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg.
Thanks to Patty for allowing me to share her photo with you here.